Global Ocean Race qualifier agreement

Inter Class 40 agreement with Sirius Evènements

The organisers of the Global Ocean Race 2011-12 are pleased to announce a formal partnership with French race organisers, Sirius Evènements, and their double-handed Class40 Normandy Channel Race 2011. In an agreement that exemplifies the bond within the Class40 Association, its skippers and the association’s events, the Normandy Channel Race will provide an opportunity for GOR entries to achieve the majority of their qualifying mileage in race conditions.

The GOR requires that a non-stop, 2,000 mile qualifying passage is undertaken by all entries. The GOR Race Organisation will grant a 1,500 mile qualifying credit towards the mandatory 2,000 miles for all entries that complete the Normandy Channel Race 2011 (NCR): a 1,000 mile, non-stop double-handed race that starts from Caen, France, on Sunday May 15th next year, four months before the start of the GOR round the world race.

GOR entries competing in the NCR are required to carry out a further, separate, 500 mile, non-stop passage to complete their qualifying mileage. For GOR ‘Team Entries’ with up to six crew for the entire circumnavigation, having two of their members complete the NCR means a credit of 1,000 miles plus a remaining 1,000 mile non-stop passage sailed with the other team members onboard. The two events have also agreed to work closely together on promotion and communication throughout 2011.

The NCR 2010 included ten international Class40 teams with double-handed crews from France, Britain, the Netherlands and South Africa racing across the English Channel, through the Solent, along the south coast of England and across the Irish Sea before returning to the finish line off the coast of Normandy. Exceptionally varied conditions produced intensely close racing with the winning team – Thomas Ruyant and Tanguy Leglatin (FRA) on Destination Dunkerque – completing the demanding course in six days and 18 hours.

Josh Hall, GOR Race Director, is extremely pleased with this highly practical partnership: "The NCR is an extremely well organised and exciting event for Class40 and the synergy between our two events is clear,” says Hall. “This agreement will permit our entries to achieve a major part of their qualification process in race mode, which is extremely valuable for them. I am sure the entry list for the NCR 2011 will be strong and highly-competitive and we look forward to working with Manfred Ramspacher and his team at Sirius Evènements.”

Ramspacher, organiser of the Tour de France à la Voile between 1998-2005, winner of the event with Bernard Pace in ’97 and Director of Le Havre’s Normandy Sailing Week is equally pleased with the agreement. "We are building a strong annual event and partnering with a premium race such as the GOR is a great endorsement for us,” comments the NCR Race Organiser, who is confident of 20 international entries on the NCR start line next year. “We welcome this opportunity to promote the two events together and provide an excellent platform for GOR entries to test themselves, their boats and achieve some of their qualifying mileage.”